The digital detox and how to disconnect

1. Be serious in assessing, and in providing a Caveman solution

The average net user spends 118 minutes on social media channels per day; that’s nearly 14 hours a week. When you start to add up all those hours in a serious way, the results can be somewhat alarming. Although work requires us to be available and in constant check-in status for much of the day, that still leaves a lot of hours in which you could be outside and phoneless, or in the sauna and unobtainable.

2. “immersed vs. informed”

It’s our job as PR people to stay up to date with current events and within-industry movements. But that doesn’t mean staying connected all day, all of the time. This is clearly not particularly healthy. Take long breaks, and enjoy those hours away from screen time. Check back in for quick news headlines (if you have to), but read real books instead of Guardian musings on life, toil and misery.

3. Turn off notifications

Work can still send you emails even if you turn the notifications off. However, this means that you can check your inbox when you’re not busy with other stuff, rather than running to the phone every time the Gmail message alert pings. Make them wait.

4. Go full-on caveman

Plan a five or seven day trip each year, even a low-cost excursion to a town or hotel near your home, and allocate that as a digital-free week. It’s much easier to achieve if you block off an entire week. Anyway, you’ve booked holiday, so it should be impossible for people to reach you from time to time.

Please speak to us for free advice or to request a project-specific consultation.